SINDELFINGEN, Germany — Bitzer US Inc. announced it will be taking a more proactive approach to dealing with counterfeiters.

In a press release, the company said it has been observing an increase in product piracy among the company’s compressors, spare parts, and pressure vessels.

“This development has a negative impact on the entire industry and refrigerant manufacturers,” the statement said. “This is unacceptable because, unlike with counterfeit watches or handbags, technical applications can be very dangerous when pirated products of poor technical quality are used. Aside from safety, the issue of performance clearly takes center stage, as it plays a key role in the customer’s purchasing decision. The performance data and the efficiency of pirated products cannot achieve the high standards of original Bitzer products.”

Bitzer said the problem has particularly been troublesome in Asia, as counterfeiters are going so far as to copy the company’s catalog data.

Bitzer notes it does not market spare parts in the U.S., and remanufactures its service compressors with genuine parts at its Georgia factory.

“By controlling its service replacement aftermarket, Bitzer can optimally monitor the entire life cycle of its compressors all over the world,” the company said. “In the long run, supposedly cheaper copies are much more expensive than the originals. Bitzer strongly advises against accepting unusually cheap offers for compressors, spare parts, or refrigerants.”

Publication date: 6/30/2014 

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